Artistry With Words

HAPPY JULY 14TH

I was going to say “where does the time go” but the truth is, the time just disappears in a flurry of non-stop activities.  It’s no mystery…I’m busy, and when I’m busy, time does fly.

The goats are keeping me busy.  I’ve had to take on more customers to meet some unexpected bills, so the new novel has been put on hold until I take care of that “necessary” work.  But it’s all good. We do what we have to do.  That’s just life, right?

I watched a PBS documentary about Harper Lee last night.  What a remarkable story about a dedicated writer…an extremely talented writer….in many ways a very lucky writer…and I was filled with much-needed encouragement after watching that show.  Hers was the perfect book at the perfect time in history, but it darned near was never published.  So many stars had to align just perfectly for “To Kill A Mockingbird” to become a part of our literary landscape.

Which leads us to today’s quote.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Some of the greatest things, as I understand, they have come about by serendipity, the greatest discoveries.”

Alan Alda

THOUGHT OF THE DAY

Back to the Harper Lee documentary.  She almost had to quit writing.  She was running out of money in New York and was about to cave to the pressures and go get a real job when a friend offered to give her enough money to live on for one year.  He told her she had one year to write a great novel…..and so she did.  But when she finished her manuscript she had a hard time finding a publisher who was interested.  Finally one took a chance but then it took two years of continual editing and re-writing to reach the final product….and the rest is history.

And did you know that she grew up next door to Truman Capote.  In fact, the character “Dill” in her novel is based on Capote.  What are the odds that two great writers would live next door to each other? Serendipity?

And the ultimate in serendipity….her long-lost manuscript of her first novel, “Watchman,” is found and is now going to be published fifty years after it was written.

Life can be stranger than fiction.

TIP OF THE DAY

To paraphrase Winston Churchill….never give up!

If you decide to stop writing because you no longer find joy in it, then I applaud you for your decision.  But if you give up because you are not receiving the acclaim you desire, then you really need to follow my dad’s advice and strap on some balls and be a man….or women, put on the big girl’s panties and be a woman. J

Nobody ever said this would be easy, so if you heard that and believed it, I’m very sorry.

PROMPT OF THE DAY

I’m just showing off our two new babies.  It’s more a proud daddy showing pics than a prompt, but I hope you like it.

THAT’S IT FOR THE DAY

I’ve got customers to please and I’m sure you have things to do as well, so let’s call it quits on this installment. Thanks for stopping by and I’ll catch you down the road of life.

Bill

“Helping writers to spread their wings and fly.”